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How often do you connect to a new Wi-Fi network? No matter what your answer to this question is, you definitely wouldn’t want to connect to a network that is not secure.
Besides, if your home network is not protecting you from intruders, you are already at risk. This is why you need a Wi-Fi analyzer, a program that scans if a network is safe. Here are the top five Wi-Fi analyzers available today.
Fing is one of the best-known Wi-Fi analyzers for a reason: it does what it needs to pretty well and is user-friendly.
Even if you’ve never used network analysis software in the past, Fing shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out. Power up the app, and it will scan your connected network. It will also show nearby access points, information about signal strength, the type of protection a network employs, and more.
Fing’s scanner discovers all devices connected to a network, which lets you see a device’s IP address, name, model, MAC address, and so on. With Fing, you may alsotest your home network’s speed, see if any security issues need to be resolved, set up alerts, and ban devices.
It should be noted that you need to purchase the Starter or Premium version of Fing to access all features, but the basic one is free, and what it offers should be enough for the vast majority of people.
Download: Fing forWindows|MacOS|Android|iOS(Free, subscription available)
2. NetSpot
NetSpot is another popular Wi-Fi analyzer that first hit the market in 2011. It’s a more complicated (and arguably more advanced) tool than Fing, so it is intended for more technically-minded users.
NetSpot automatically discovers all Wi-Fi networks in the area and provides live data about them. This includes information about security, signal strength, speed, configuration issues, signal leaks, network stability, and much more. This data can be exported as reports, whether in PDF or CSV format, making NetSpot a valuable tool for IT and network administrators.
While it is true that NetSpot is primarily used to analyze network strength and coverage, the data it extracts can prove valuable if you suspect security issues with your home Wi-Fi.
Bear in mind, however, there are different versions of NetSpot. you may use the tool for free, but with limited features, the availability of certain functionalities may vary depending on your device’s operating system.
Download: Netspot forWindows|MacOS|Android|iOS(Free, subscription available)
3. Angry IP Scanner
Angry IP Scanner has been around for more than two decades. It’s free, open-source, and available on the three main desktop operating systems: Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
Unlike many other Wi-Fi scanner software, Angry IP Scanner is neither flashy nor complex. It is rather fast, minimalist, and easy to use. Just download the program, launch it, and press scan. That’s pretty much it. But Angry IP Scanner offers a lot more than meets the eye.
Angry IP Scanner scans a range of IP addresses (you can define the range) rather quickly and automatically provides a trove of information: device MAC address, ping time, host information, and open ports. You can modify the scan in any way you see fit and have the tool generate reports in various formats.
Security professionals use Angry IP Scanner to identify unknown devices connected to a network, perform analysis, and assess potential vulnerabilities. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a powerful and unique program.
Download: Angry IP Scanner forWindows|MacOS|Linux(Free)
4. Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer
Acrylic offers a wide range of products as part of its Windows-only suite: Wi-Fi Analyzer, Wi-Fi Heatmaps, Wi-Fi Sniffer, Wi-Fi LEA, and Bluetooth LE Analyzer.
To test Wi-Fi security, you’ll need the Wi-Fi Analyzer. While some other tools could also be useful for that purpose, they can only be purchased separately, which is certainly not for everyone’s budget.
You can use the Wi-Fi Analyzer for free for up to five days, which should be more than enough if you want just to try it out and run an analysis of your home network. But what can you really do with this program, and how does it compare to other network analysis software?
Acrylic’s Wi-Fi Analyzer is advanced but very intuitive. Boasting a sleek and modern design, its many features make scanning and troubleshooting easy. With this program, you can check network health and security, detect and fix any issues, receive real-time data, see which devices are connected to your Wi-Fi (classify them by type, manufacturer, etc.), save captured data, create reports, and more.
Download: Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer forWindows(Free, subscription available)
5. Network Analyzer
Available on Android and iOS, Network Analyzer (the lite version of Network Analyzer Pro) is a lightweight and versatile Wi-Fi scanning app that can prove useful to anyone who frequently connects to new networks with their smartphone.
For a start, you’re able to fire up the app and let it scan the Wi-Fi you’re connected to. For additional options, navigate to the menu (via the three little bars in the top left corner). Here, you can access various tools, launch a LAN scan, test your Wi-Fi signal, and more.
With Network Analyzer, you can also detect all devices connected to an access point and look for any intruders,view their IP addresses, scan ports, get additional network information, and so forth.
This is a beginner-friendly app, but that doesn’t mean it’s not suitable for network professionals and IT administrators as well. It offers much more than most of its competitors, and it’s free, which is a major advantage.
Download: Network Analyzer forAndroid|iOS(Free)
Whether you’re a professional or just someone who wants to protect their data better, Wi-Fi analyzers are an indispensable tool you need in your arsenal.
Hundreds of network analysis programs are on the market, but these five are arguably the best. Download one to each device you use, and enhance your overall security.
